If you want to give your stomach and liver a bit of a rest, try soaking in some of the areas natural hot springs, taking a bike ride to see the gorgeous scenery up close, looking at art, or visiting the farmers’ markets.

Golden Haven Hot Springs

HOT SPRINGS

Golden Haven Hot Springs1713 Lake Street, Calistoga
707-942-8000
Couples’ spa treatments without the inflated prices. In a private room, you get a detoxifying mud bath, followed by a soak in the mineral-water Jacuzzi, then a cozy blanket wrap. Lodging is also available (more motel-style than quaint B&B, though), and if you book online there are all kinds of discount specials. At press time, weekend couples’ mud baths were on special for $59 per person.

ART

di Rosa Preserve5200 Carneros Highway 121, Napa
707-226-5991
Art gallery meets nature preserve on 217 acres in Carneros. More than 2,000 works by over 900 Northern California artists—including Robert Arneson, Nathan Oliveira, and Robert Bechtle—are shown in three big warehouse-type galleries and a giant old stone winery house. Rolling meadows, a 35-acre lake, and ancient olive groves are home to outdoor sculpture. Four tours daily Tuesday through Friday, and two tours on Saturday (Wednesday admission is free and tours are discounted). Make a reservation a few days ahead of time.

CYCLING

Word is, Lance Armstrong nearly bought a house here three years ago—and it’s easy to see why. There is great cycling in the Napa Valley. However: Bike riding, wine tasting, and driving can be a deadly combination. There’s a lot of traffic on some of these narrow country roads. Remember to ride single file as far to the right as you can, and to wear your helmet. Ride early in the morning to get the best weather and avoid the bulk of the wine-tasting crowds.

One beautiful route with views of Mount St. Helena and the vineyards starts in the town of Calistoga and goes north on Highway 128 to Knights Valley. After that, turn left on Franz Valley Road and continue for a few miles until Franz Valley School Road branches off to the left. This road goes up two steep, short climbs and drops back into Calistoga via Petrified Forest Road. It’s an 18.5-mile loop with a lot of rolling hills, so give yourself a couple of hours.

Napa Valley Bike Tours

To rent a bike and get some of the best cycling advice in the valley, try: